


I'll Crawl Home to Her

by tethrasing



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 01:46:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14864297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tethrasing/pseuds/tethrasing
Summary: Brianna sat up next to him and placed a gentle hand on his neck. “Shh, Aloth, it was only a nightmare,” she whispered, “You’re here, I’m here, we’re safe.”Not a nightmare, he thought, a memory.





	I'll Crawl Home to Her

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: i would really... like to read... ‘shh, it was just a nightmare.’ with your watcher and aloth?? (◕ ˬ ◕✿)
> 
> Takes place after Brianna and Aloth get together during deadfire, but no deadfire spoilers! Only spoilers for aloth’s poe1 quest. Title from "Work Song" by Hozier.

Aloth stands in his childhood home, quietly sweeping the kitchen floor. His mother is home which was always good for him. When his mother was home, his father focused on her instead of him.

 

That was why it took him by surprise when his father stomped into the kitchen and punched him in the face. Aloth fell to the ground, dropping the broom. His father is shouting something about Aloth’s failure at casting missiles and his unstable barriers, but all Aloth can focus on is the flecks of blood dripping from his nose. His father’s boots, glistening with fresh polish, thud across the floor as he closes the distance to kick Aloth in the stomach. Aloth instinctively curls up to protect his vitals, but he knows doing so will only leave another part of himself exposed.

 

And then he is retreating. Retreating into himself at lightning speed until the kitchen and his father are nothing but a pinprick against a field of black.

 

_Iselmyr_.

 

All at once Aloth’s body stands up, but it is not Aloth doing the standing. In the back of his mind, Aloth can hear himself screaming at Iselmyr to _stop, please stop,_ but he has retreated so far back into himself that he can’t find his way back.

 

“What do you think you’re doing, boy?” Aloth’s father asks, Adeyran accent thick with contempt.

 

Aloth’s face forms into a wicked smile before Iselmyr begins her assault. The first blow is enough to send his father flying to the ground and then she is on top of him.

 

Between blows, Iselmyr spits out Hylspeak interspersed with curses.

 

“Ye think ye can hurt the lad because he’s yer son, aye? Some fuckin’ pa ye are! I should rip ye a new one fer this-“

 

“Aloth…” says a voice that is neither Iselmyr’s nor his father’s.

 

From far away, Aloth hears that gentle voice calling to him. He recognizes the voice, but can’t put a name to it. It takes great effort, but Aloth tears himself away from the memory and focuses on the voice.

 

“Aloth…wake up.”

 

* * *

 

 

Aloth woke with a jolt. Disoriented, he sat up, clutching his hands in the sheets. Almost absently, he noticed he was breathing heavily and that there were tears on his cheeks.

 

Brianna sat up next to him and placed a gentle hand on his neck. “Shh, Aloth, it was only a nightmare,” she whispered, “You’re here, I’m here, we’re safe.”

 

_Not a nightmare_ , he thought, _a memory_. He wanted to tell her, but he couldn’t find his voice. Instead he reached for her. She met him half way and they fell back into bed in a tangle of limbs. They stayed like that for a long time, Brianna rubbing soothing circles on Aloth’s back.

 

When he found his voice, Aloth said, “I’m sorry for waking you, Brianna, I-“

 

“None of that, now,” Brianna cut him off, kissing his forehead, “I’ve had my share of troubled sleep, if you recall. You helped me through that time and I’m more than happy to help you through a nightmare.”

 

She pushed a lock of hair out of his face before she asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

 

Aloth shook his head, “It was more a memory than a nightmare, but nothing you don’t already know. I was…remembering my Awakening.”

 

Brianna let out a small noise of acknowledgement. “You know, as much as that animancer in Defiance Bay got wrong, I’m glad we went to see her. That’s when I knew,” she said as she brings her hand to trace along Aloth’s ear.

 

“Knew what?” Aloth asked.

 

“That you were my best friend,” Brianna replied simply.

 

Aloth felt a light blush rise in his cheeks. He allowed a pleased smile to grace his lips as he looked at Brianna. She was smiling as well.

 

Her smile turned wicked as she said, “I still think we should have let her remove your spleen.”

 

Aloth chuckled at the old joke. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”

 

“Never in a million years,” she responded easily.

 

To his surprise and amusement, Aloth realized he didn’t mind.


End file.
